“We’d started out having a housemaid of all of the really works exactly who ready, served, removed, laundered. If infants first started upcoming i added yet another helper; a hospital-coached nursemaid.” -Flower Fitzgerald Kennedy, Minutes to consider

Have been they?

Joseph and you may Rose Kennedy operating a couple of real time-from inside the maids when they existed within 83 Beals Highway, Brookline, Massachusetts, from 1914-1920. Mrs. Kennedy had written towards let, but do not stated all of them by name. Have been such women? Historical details assisted us select them. Very first i consulted the new 1920 national census, found less than, hence lists Mary O’Donahue and you can Alice Michelin as several servants living with the household. The new census also incorporates valuable recommendations such decades and you can birthplace. Unfortunately, you will find zero list regarding the length of time their service live otherwise if they were the first maids just who receive employment at 83 Beals Highway. Subsequent search produced each other more information and you may dry ends up.

Alice Michelin, (1892-1945), Nursemaid

Into the 1911, 18-year old Alice Michelin moved on French shore to catch good steamship bound for new York. Just after passageway courtesy Ellis Island, she journeyed so you can Boston to participate their particular cousin who was simply currently living there. Her degree try once the an effective nursemaid or governess, that’s how we understood their unique role toward Kennedys. However, inside 1920 she leftover their solution and you may gone back to France to help you visit family members to own a-year. Alice continued so you’re able to act as a good nursemaid some other families from inside the Boston. One of their particular afterwards costs remembered their particular given that a “dear, bright, charming individual.”

Mary O’Donahue, (1887-?), Housemaid of all Work

Mary was among the many young Irish immigrants which spent some time working as the domestic servants. Up to 1908 she traveled towards Us and very quickly discover a position due to the fact a housemaid to have a household in the Quincy, Massachusetts. Mrs. Kennedy wrote that when she moved to Beals https://lovingwomen.org/sv/ecuadorianska-kvinnor/ Roadway “one of my friends delivered me their particular housemaid–a beneficial gay cool Irish girl exactly who prepared & served & generated the new bedrooms. & made you some happy.” You may so it was indeed Mary, or was just about it a precursor? We do not know the way much time ily nor can we have photographs regarding their unique. By the point of one’s 2nd census into the 1930, we wouldn’t to obtain their in virtually any details. Exactly what possess happened to help you ong the options.

Residential Servants

Throughout their employment on 83 Beals Road, Alice and you may ily. Each of the female got their own rooms on loft. New rooms had been rather roomy having closets and you will windows, however, became unbearably hot in the summertime. Although not, like any residential servants, they failed to spend much time within bedroom. Alternatively, these were hectic at your workplace in other aspects of our house.

It absolutely was common getting middle-category family members to have domestic servants about late 19th and you can early 20th many years. But really times was changing. The new part of property towards the Beals Street which have alive-in servants decrease regarding 70% when you look at the 1910 so you’re able to 20% in 1920, highlighting federal fashion. Less property, a lot more prepared items, and altering lifestyles meant you to definitely a lot fewer some one need house help. But not, while the Kennedy family members became into the wealth and you can matter, they increased the home-based personnel to add way more maids, an excellent governess, and you may a beneficial chauffeur.

Typing Residential Service

Searching for a career is actually a pressing significance of this new immigrants so you’re able to the us. Young, solitary women commonly chose to enter into residential provider. There was popular getting servants, as numerous local-produced Americans experienced it to be a low-updates jobs and wanted a position somewhere else.

For new maids it could be difficult to adjust to lifestyle for the a different family. Domestic services is alone, demanding run very long hours and you will little versatility. The spend is actually pretty good, and additionally they attained a roof over the brains. In their work these female achieved new skills and managed to save wages getting regardless of the coming produced.